How to Talk With an Employee Who Isn’t Meeting Expectations

Managing performance issues can be one of the most challenging aspects of leadership. However, these trying moments also present opportunities to strengthen the manager-employee relationship. When an employee isn’t meeting expectations, it helps to approach the situation thoughtfully to encourage improvement, not discourage the individual. Read further to learn how we coach executives to approach these difficult conversations, using it as an opportunity to collaborate and establish a mutual commitment toward improvement.

Prepare for the Conversation

Before the meeting, take time to prepare. Gather information about the employee not meeting expectations, including specific examples of undesired behavior. Gather insights with discretion from other team members to give the employee a more comprehensive understanding of the situation. The collective input will offer the employee a broader spectrum of viewpoints. The executive should not lead the discussion with these examples but supply them where appropriate. Strategically incorporating these examples in the conversation will prevent employee shutdown while helping them understand where their work needs improvement.

Beginning the Conversation

The executives should start the meeting by creating an open dialogue that defines what success looks like and who will be involved in turning around the employee’s personal performance. Steer clear from accusatory language because this will put the employee on the defensive, destroying the ability to help them improve.  An example of an opening statement could look something like the following:

“Thank you for meeting with me. I want to have an honest and open conversation about recent performances. My goal for this meeting is to understand where you are and give clear feedback so we can work together to reach company benchmarks and exceed expectations.”

Take a Look Back

Continue the conversation by reflecting on the employee’s time at the company. Ask them to self-reflect and listen to what they think they do well and where they need improvement. Follow up with a question like,

“Let’s reflect on the past few months. Do you feel you have accomplished your goals and met current expectations? Looking back, if you had the opportunity to change or improve anything, what would you want to do differently and why?

Use the insight provided to help guide feedback on management’s thoughts on their performance. Make sure those leading the conversation are actively listening. By definition, a conversation goes two ways. Practice active listening by supplying follow-up questions, engaging in eye contact and showing empathy throughout the interaction. These tips will help any executive better understand their employee’s perspective and shed light on any underlying issues management may not have been aware of.

Give Constructive Feedback

After listening to the employee’s side, management shares their concerns. Address performance with directness while remembering to be kind and understanding. When broaching this subject, we advise the executive to start with something their employee does well and then lead into their improvement areas.

This conversation stage is where executives share examples from the earlier preparation. Providing clear examples instead of hypotheticals will ensure the employee understands how their work isn’t aligning with expectations. Offering feedback from other unnamed leaders or team members will encourage the employee to recognize the need for change, take accountability and assume ownership of their performance improvement.

Leaders must set aside all judgment during this stage.  An example of a leading statement could include:

“You are doing an excellent job meeting deadlines, which is great! However, it seems this success is coming at the expense of your team. Several team members have expressed concern over your management strategy, often staying late and missing personal deadlines due to your disorganization and delegation techniques. I have also noticed you don’t offer positive feedback to your team. Only providing corrections and criticisms will make them feel discouraged and burnt out.

Build a space for an honest and vulnerable conversation; the employee’s work could reflect an outside-of-office stressor. We advise executives to show empathy by sharing a relevant personal experience. For example, an executive might say:

“You may not have noticed, but I struggle with organization. Often, my mind jumps from task to task before I can complete what I set out to do, which stresses my team and impacts our productivity. As a result, I have implemented a few practices to keep my task-switching tendency from impacting my team. I started with set meeting agendas and personal time management practices.”

Next, leave the floor open for the employee’s feedback. Ask for honest thoughts about what might have led to the input received from coworkers and issues personally noticed. Often, these employees are aware of the problem and will take some accountability if they feel they are in a safe space.

Collaborate on a Goal and Set Expectations

After discussing the performance issues, collaborate to create an improvement plan. Creating actionable steps for improvement together shows the company is invested in their success while encouraging the employee to take ownership of their progress. Start the conversation with questions such as:

“What do you think would help you meet these expectations? Is there anything I can do to help you get there?”

Reset the expectations by providing specific targets with timelines. Consider adding follow-up meetings to review their plan achievability and progress. Phrase this as:

 “Let’s check in weekly over the next month so we can gauge how things are going and make sure you have the support you need.”

These regular follow-ups ensure accountability and offer opportunities to provide ongoing assistance.

Conversations around performance and expectations can be uncomfortable, but with preparation, empathy and collaboration, any executive can encourage self-reflection and positive change. Use these conversations as learning opportunities for employees and managers to build resilience, sharpen their problem-solving abilities and strengthen professional relationships. With the right approach, these discussions pave the way for personal growth and team success. Contact us today to build internal leadership capabilities and team confidence with our executive coaching services.

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